Method of and apparatus for measuring flow characteristics in liquids



Apr-i} 4, 1944.

H. GREEN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING CONSTANT TEMPERATURE BATH 2 Sheets-Sheet l FEGI 2 INVENTOR HENRY GREEN ATTORNEY l C C' PULL-RESISTANCE YELLOW;

RED 44 F IG. 7

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F l G. 5

CONSTANT FILM THICKNESS CONSTANT PULL 4 5.. o NEE H. GREEN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING Filed June 29, 1940 FICA FLOW CHARACTERISTICS IN LIQUIDS CONSTANT FlLM THICKNESS IO 20 h?K I PULL-RES1STANCE FIG. 6

n 33. mo we.

April 4, 1944.

RESISTANCE 50 I00 TIME OF PULL FIG. 9

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INVENTOR gENRY GREEN BY ATTORNEY Patented- Apr. 4, 1944 METHOD or AND APPARATUS Fon. MEASUR- ING FLOW CHARACTERISTICS IN mooms Henry Green, New York, N. Y., assignor to Interchemical Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Ohio Application June 29, 1940, Serial No. 343,121

6 Claims. (Cl. 265-11) The present invention relates to methods of and means for measuring the fiow resistance characteristics of liquids, including true liquids and plastics, and relates particularly to the measurement of the tack, yield value, viscosity and similar properties of such liquids, as printing inks, coating compositions and the like.

Heretofore many different methods of measuring the tack, yield value and viscosity of commercially used liquids, such as printing inks for example, have been proposed and used. However, the results obtainable; by prior known methods and by the use of instruments designed to carry out such methods have in general left much to be desired. This has been largely due to the costs and complexity of the method and measuring apparatus, the long time and difficulty involved in making'measurements and in cleaning the instrument after each test, the waste of solvents required in such cleaning, the relatively large amount of test liquid needed for making a single measurement, the inaccuracies and'ginconsistent results obtained by the measurements, thev limlted range of values measurable withfianyf-oneatype of instrument, and various otherfdifiicultiesfj and limitations.

' I have found-that a marked improvement may be obtained over these prior: devices and that one or more or allflof the above difiiculties and limitations may be minimized or substantially avoided in accordance with the method and instrument of the present invention, with the restilt that consistent measurements, which are adapted to be plotted as; linear characteristics, can be quickly and relatively easily made with a low cost, emciently operating instrument of simple construction, requiring only a few minutes for completing a measurement, requiring only a few drops of the test liquid, and adapted for adjustment to measure a very wide range of values. The invention is particularly suited for determining the tackand other fiow characteristics of printing inks, to aid in the selection of suitable inks, especially for printing at high speeds.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the test liquid is formed into a thin film having a pair of parallel faces of predetermined area and predetermined thickness, and the time required for a given force to increase the existing separation between the two faces of the film is then observed as a measure of the tack. By making two or more such measurements with a different separating force for each measurement, a linear plot may be obtained to indicate whether the liquid is a true liquid or plastic and to show the tack, yield value and viscosity of the liquid. An instrument adapted to carry out the method utilizes a mechanism for preparing the film for test, and serves as a means for making quantitative observations of thetack,

yield value, viscosity, of other fiow characteristics to be tested.

When used in this description, the term tac means the flow resisting property of a fluid mass, consisting of a true liquid or a plastic, which is characterized by the pull resistance opposing the separation of two solid surfaces bonded together by a film of the fluid mass mutually adhered to the solid surfaces. The amount of tack, at any given temperature, depends on the thickness of the film, its area, and the rate of pull. Since the tack varies with these three factors, it has no fixed value except for a given rate of pull, and a given thickness and area of film, the relation being expressed'by an equation given hereinafter.

The term "yield value" as used herein refers to a tangential force equivalent to that actin on an area' of one square centimeter that will just produce a flow of a plastic at an infinitely slow rate relative to an area of one square centimeter parallel to the first area and spaced perpendicularly therefrom by a distance of one centimeter. It is measured in dynes per square centimeter.

The coefficient of viscosity for a true liquid is the tangential force equivalent to that acting on an area of one square centimeter which will produce a rate of flow of one centimeter per second relative to an area of one square centimeter parallel to the first area and spaced perpendicularly therefrom by a distance of one centimeter. The unit of measure is the poise. For a plastic, the coeflicient of viscosity is the same as that for a liquid, except that it is the force in excess of the yield value. For the purpose of simplification, the term viscosity is employed hereinaiter in place of the expression"coeificient of viscosity," where the meaning of the term is otherwise clear without the longer expression.

These and other features and objects of the invention will be understood more clearly upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form r of measuring instrument embodying the features of my invention:

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the instrument of Fig. 1, shown schematically;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating, substantially in actual size, three stages in the operation of the instrument; and

Figs. 6, '1, 8 and 9 are graphs showing the bearings ilisupported in a bracket ll secured to the plate 2. Thumb screw II is shown in contact with a predetermined quantity of a liquid 2| which is placed on the anvil M for testing. Since the liquid 20 to be tested is placed on the anvil l4 and should approach the temperature -of -the I temperature therein and is provided with a flat plate 3 forms a liquid-tight sealed closure for the parts of the tackmeter 4 adjacent the plate 3 at a uniform temperature substantially equal to that of the bath. The bath liquid 8 may be any suitable non-volatile, low-viscosity material, such as water or mineral oil, which does not have a corrosive effect on the parts in contact therewith.

The temperature of the bath is regulated by a suitable electric heater! supported by the plate 3 and projecting downwardly thereform into the bath liquid 6. An electric motor 8 is mounted on the plate 3 and has a stirrer 9 connected. thereto and projecting into the bath for agitating the liquid 6 and maintaining it at a uniform temperature throughout the bath. The bath temperature is indicated by a thermometer i0, supported by the plate 3 and projecting therethrough into the bath. An adjustable electric thermostat Il may be connected in any well known manner (not shown) with the heater I and a source of electric current (not shown), to maintain the bath at any d sired predetermined temperature. Since the tack or flow characteristic of most liquids varies with the temperature, the tests for these characteristics are preferably made either at a standard temperature, preferably slightly above ordinary room temperature, for example at 30 0., or at the temperature at which the liquid under test is to be employed in practice. In the event that the room temperature at the place of operation is above the desired operating temperature, it will be understood that a cooling coil or other suitable cooling device may be used in place of the electric heater 1 or in conjunction therewith.

The bath is filled through the top of a standpipe I2 which is supported by the plate 3 and projects therethrough to the bath. A glass window i3 may be provided in pipe !2 to show the level of the bath liquid, which is preferably kept above the level of the plate 3 to insure good thermal contact between the plate 3 and the bath liquid. It will be understood that all seams at the places where heater I, stirrer 9, thermometer i0, thermostat Ii and standpipe i2 pass through the plate 3, are made liquid tight to prevent leakage therethrough of the bath liquid 6.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the combined tackmeter and viscometer 4 includes an anvil contact block l4 and a micrometer thumb screw l5 which is threaded through the left or free end of a substantially horizontal finger lever it. The right hand end of said finger lever I6 is hinged to turn with minimum friction on suitable pivot rectangular top liquid receiving surface 2i which is preferably horizontal and lapped smooth. The Y vertical screw l5 has a coaxial cylindrical lower end which is provided with a flat and smooth horizontal contact surface 22 of predetermined diameter and area complementary to and parallel with the anvil surface 2|. It will be understood that the screw it may be replaced readily by a similar screw having a surface 22 with a different predetermineddlameter and area. At'each of the left and right ends of the anvil block I4 is a raised portion or spacer 23 which together furnish positive abutments against which lever 16 may swing in a counterclockwise direction,- to the position shown in Fig. 2. This fixes the horizontal position-of finger It and the position of screw I5 with its axis held exactly in a position normal to and centralized over the anvilsurface 2i, so that the finger contact surface 22 may register with the surface 2 land be parallel thereto for all positions to which the screw may be turned. While I have shown the cooperating surfaces 2i ,and 22 as parallel, fiat and smooth, it will be understood, that they may be of any desired fixed and predetermined configuration and relationship, such as curved, formed with a multiple dot system like a half-tone plate,-or the like.

The area of the anvil surface 2| is preferably considerably larger than that of finger contact surface 22, in order that surface 2i may be of sufficient size to register fully with the largest circular surface 22 to be employed therewith. The upper surface of the enlarged head of screw i5 is preferably provided'with suitably calibrated micrometer markings 25 radially of the screw, to be read in conjunction with the hired index pin 25, supported by the lever i6 and positioned adiacent the periphery of the screw, for indicating directly the distance between the respective contact surfaces 2! and 22.

A vertical link 21 is hinged to turn with mini-.

mum friction on pivot bearings 22 in the left end of the finger lever It. This link has a V-shaped upper end 29 hooked loosely into a larger V-shaped notch 20 at the right end of a horizontal balance bar 3i which turns with minimum friction on pivot bearings 32 provided in a vertical post 33, fastened at its lower end to the plate 3. The lower end of a thumb screw 34, threaded through a horizontally projecting upper end of vertical post 33, serves as an adjustable stop, limiting counterclockwise rotation of the balance bar 3| in response to a weight 35 hung in a notch 36 at the left end of said bar. A nut 29 is provided to lock the screw 34 in any adjusted position. A counter weight 31 is slidably mounted on the bar ii and may be moved to any desired position thereon to compensate to the desired degree for the component of force due to the downward pull of link 21 on notch 30 when finger it carries no superimposed weight and when there is no liquid 20 in contact with the screw IS. The weight 21 may be locked in any adjusted position by means of a thumb screw 38.

In order to squeeze out the drop of liquid 2| into the desired film or lamina bounded by the surfaces 2|, 22,, when the finger l6 abuts positively upon the spacers 23, a removable weight 4|! may be placed on the finger lever It. It will be understood that for the purpose of. clear representation, the liquid film 20 is shown with exaggerated thickness. In practice. the film 20 may have a thickness within the range from a fraction of a thousandth of an inch up to twenty or more thousandths, depending upon the tack of the liquid. The weight 40 serves to overcome any resistance to the fiow of the liquid incidental to the formation'of the desired film 20, and insures positive abutment of finger IS on the spacers 23', so that the position of the finger is accurately reproducible. It will be understood that the weight 40 is removed from the finger l6 during adjustment of the counter-weight 31.

When it is desired to clean the surfaces 2|, 22, and apply the test liquid- 2|] thereto, the finger I6 may be swung to the right in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, until the free end thereof, indicated by the dot-dash lines in Fig, 2, rests upon a supporting block 4| attached to plate 3. Both surfaces 2!, 22, then face upwardly in positions where they are readily accessible for such attention as may be needed. The liquid 20 to be tested, such as printing ink, for example, may be applied to the surface 22 by rubbing with a rod to which a quantity of the liquid has adhered after being dipped into a supply of the liquid. Enough liquid adheres to the screw I5, to cover not only the fiat surface 22, but to extend over the edge of the fiat surface and on the cylindrical surface of the contact end of screw l5, up to a point about half way between the surface 22 and the upper extremity of the cylindrical portion of screw l5 or the adjacent surface of the finger lever IS. The finger i6 is then swung back to the left, the weight 40 being placed thereon for the purpose explained above, and allowed to remain while the liquid is being brought to the same temperature as the block it and the bath B.

After the liquid 20 has reached the desired temperature, the weight 40 is removed from finger it. The unbalanced component 'of force due to the weight 35 is then free to act on bar 3| and exert a lifting force, through the link 21 on the finger iii, the test liquid 20 being the only restraint to lifting of surface 22, it being assumed that pivot friction and inertia of the moving parts are made so small as to be negligible for the purposes of the present measurements.

Since the lateral boundaries of the liquid film 20, Figs. 2 and 3, in any plane parallel to the surfaces 2|, 22, are substantially equidistant from the central vertical axis normal to the surfaces M, 22, the liquid is symmetrically distributed around the vertical axis. When the finger contact surfaces 2i, 22 separate from each other, as indicated in Fig. 4 by the arrow, the liquid flows radially inward toward the vertical axis, and forms a constriction or neck-down portion between the upper and lower lobes of the liquid 2B (Fig. 4). Because of the thinness of the film 20, the fiow of the liquid along any radial element of the film is substantially a lamina or capillary fiow. This avoids many of the problems encountered in attemptingto employ capillary tubes for measurements of this character and also avoids many of the complexities involved in instruments which use such a quantity of thick film of liquid that a non-laminar or plug flow results and causes a non-linear relationship between the rate of fiow and the force applied. It will be appreciated that the nature of liquid .flow is in itself so complicated that the avoidance of any additional source of complication is of great importance when attempting to obtain consistent and dependable measurements, Fig. 5 shows a more advanced stage of separation between the surfaces 2|, 22, wherein the fiow of liquid has advanced so far that only a small connection remains between the upper and lower lobes of liquid 20, so that the resistance to further separation of the surfaces 2|, 22. may be considered negligible.

It will beapparent that the bottom end of the stop screw 34 limits the counterclockwise rotation of the arm 3i under the influence of the weight 35, and adjustment of screw 34 determines the amount bywhich the separation of surfaces 2|, 22 may be increased. The period of time required for the weight 35 to produce this increase of separation, depends on the tack or resistance tofflow of the liquid 20, and may be measured by any suitable'timing device (not shown) such as a stop watch. By reducing the predetermined-starting thickness of the sheet 20, or increasingthe diameter of surface 22, the tack or resistance to flow may be increased, thus increasing the time required to close the gap between arm 3| and stop 34, so that the time interval being measured may be made long enough to minimize, or reduce to a negligible amount, errorsof measurement resulting from starting and stopping of the timing device. Obviously, the time interval may be shortened'by a converse adjustment. M'ost measurements may be made with sufficient accuracy when the time being measured is of the order of a few seconds up to a minute or more, the accuracy of the measurement increasing, in general, with the length of time interval. With thixotropic materials, however, where the broken down structure reforms when the speed of the motion is reduced, I have found that a.long timing period does not increase the accuracy and a timing period of from 5 to 15 seconds apparently gives best results.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the results of measurements made with the instrument of Figs. 1, 2. Values of 'tack or pull resistance are plotted as abscissas and values of the rate of pull are plotted as ordinates, the rate or pull being the reciprocal of the time of pull. For true liquids, such as varnish, the plot is a straight line starting at the origin, as indicated by plot 42; while for plastics, such as printing inks including a vehicle with a pigment suspended therein, the plot is a straight line which intercepts the axis of abscissas to the right of the origin, as indicated by plot 43, the value of the intercept It being a measure of the yield value of the liquid. The angles alpha and beta are measures of the coefficients of viscosity of the respective liquids. Since the plots are linear, only a few observations are needed for determining each plot. For any one plot, each observation is made with.a diiferent weight 35, while the film area, film thickness, and all other adjustments of the instrument remain at constant values throughout the test. The amount of tack depends on both the yield value and the viscosity.

Fig. '7 shows the results of measurements of tack made with the instrument of Figs. 1 and 2, the two plots 44 and 45 being similar to plot 43 of Fig. 6, but having one value X common to the two plots at the ordinate B and abscissa b. The

plot represents the tack characteristic of a sample of red printing ink, while the plot l5 shows the characteristic oia sample of yellow printing lnk. It will be seen-that for values of tack below the point X the red ink has a larger tack, for example a, than the yellow ink tack a for the same rate of pull A, whereas above the point X, the red ink has a smaller tack, for example c, than the yellow ink tack c' at the same rate of pull C.

It has been the custom for many years to make comparisons of tack of diflerent printing inks by a so-called "finger test" in which the person making the test rubs a few drops of the ink on the tip of a finger and estimates the tack characteristics of the ink by repeatedly bringing the inked finger tip into contact with a paper and lifting the tip therefrom to note the amount of force required to separate the finger from the paper. Since the finger test is limited to an estimate of only one point on the tack characteristic, the estimate might easily be based on a condition represented by the point X or, so near thereto that'the two inks being compared would be considered to have the same tack under all conditions. Erroneous determinations of tack are similarly involved in the customary use of various other methods and instruments relying on a single measurement of the tack. According to my invention, it is possible to make simple and suitably exact measurements to distinguish readily two inks or other plastics whose tack values are equal to each other at some single rate of pull but which have widely different tack values at other rates of pull.

In Fig. 8, a plot 46 of measurements has been made with the instrument of Figs. 1, 2, and shows the relation between the rate of pull and the film thickness. The film thickness is represented byJhe quantity (D+d), in which D-is the film thickness and d is a constant for any given finger area 22. The constant d may be determined by plotting (D+d)* against the rate of pull, where measurements are made at several different values of D, and where a series of plots are then made with the constant (1 in each plot'having a different arbitrarily chosen value until a value of d is found which makes a straight line plot. The resulting value of d may then be used for all future plots of (D+d) for measurements of different liquids made with that same finger area 22, the resulting plots being linear for true liquids, and in the case of plastics being curvilinear.

In Fig. 9 a plot 41 has been made with the instrument of Figs. 1 and 2 and shows the linear relation between time of pull and R, where R is theradius of the finger surface area 22. As-

in the case of plot 46 of Fig. 8, the linear plot ll is characteristic of only a true liquid, the plot for a plastic being curvilinear.

I have found that the amount of tack may be expressed empirically by the equation:

Equation 1 may also be expressed as follcwuj T- Cf 2 where n is the viscosity of the test liquid, C is an instrument constant pertaining, to the yield value, K is an instrument constant pertaining to the viscosity, f is the yield value of the test liquid indynes per square centimeter, and the other symbols are identified above.

For many purposes I have found it to be more convenient to express the tack characteristic of a given test liquid in terms of the relation between the tack of the test liquid and the tack of a standard true liquid, this being known as relative tack. The standard true liquid may be any liquid such as an oil having a previously determined convenient value of viscosity. The viscosity of the standard may be of any value within a wide range, but should preferably be large enough to permit of convenient measurement by the instrument. For some purposes a standard having a viscosity of approximately twenty poises has been found to provide a convenient reference basis. The relative tack T/To may be expressed as follows:

' T (W- k)t it,

o o o o o (3) I where To is the tack of the standard liquid, W is the weight in grams of the weight 35 used with the test liquid, W0 is the weight in grams of the weight 35 used with the standard liquid, tithe time of pull in seconds for the standard liquid, and the other terms are as identified above. It will be apparent that Woto is constant for a given oil and a given film thickness and therefore We may be any convenient weight not necessarily equal to W.

Equation 3 may also be expressed as follows:

where so is the viscosity of the standard liquid.

For most practical purposes, however, I prefer o a e (5) With this Equation 5, since Note is usually known before hand, it is only necessary to determine): by plotting W and t and obtaining the intercept.

The instrument of Figs. 1 and 2 is particularly convenient for use as a viscometer, and can meas-- ure the viscosities over a wide range of values by the selection of the proper finger screws J5 having suitable contact areas 22, and by adjustment of the film thickness. It will be understood that a screw l5 with a relatively large area 22 should be used for liquids having a relatively low viscosity, and that a screw with a smaller area 22 should be used for a liquid having a relatively high viscosity. The viscosity in. in poises. may be measured by the instrument of Figs. 1 and 2 and expressed empirically by the equation:

where D is the thickness of the film of test liquid, d is the finger constant referred to above in connection with Fig. 8, 1=3.1416, and the other symbols are as identified above. The measure: ment requires at most only a few drops of the test liquid as compared with much larger quantitles of liquid required with the more important lary type. Since the quantity of test liquid 20 is small and is spread in a thin film, the time required for bringing it to the desired temperature is only'a few minutes as compared with a considerably longer time in prior instruments, and after measurement, the instrument can be completely and quickly cleaned with a few simple operations, the cleaning time being of the order of 30 seconds, as compared with a very much longer time for properly cleaning prior viscometers. A much larger number of measurements may consequently be made within a given time than with prior instruments, and the relatively simple linear relations between the quantities measured as referred to in connection with Figs. 6 to 9 and Equations 1 to 6, greatly expedite the determination of tack, yield value, viscosity, and related useful data.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a specific example of an instrument adapted for use in carrying out the method of the invention, it will be understood that various other instruments may be made to employ this method. The separation between the two faces of the film of test liquidhas been described as being increased by moving one face perpendicularly away from the other by means including a hinged finger, but it will be understood that a hinged desired functions, and certain features of the apparatus and steps of the method may be employed without others, without departing from my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim: l. The method of indicating the flow characteristic of a liquid, which includes forming a relatively small quantity of the liquid into a thin film 45 of predetermined thickness having a pair of parallel surfaces, increasing by a predetermined amount the separation between said surfaces by applying a predetermined separating force normal to said surfaces, measuring the time required 50 for said increased separation, repeating said preceding steps with a diiferent predetermined separating force while the other conditions named remain the same, and plotting the reciprocals of said respective time measurements against the 55 respective predetermined forces producing said separations, to indicate the desired flow characteristic.

2. In an instrument for use in measuring the tack of a liquid, a finger having a flat contact surface at its free end, a cooperating anvil having a fiat contact surface, means for holding said contact surfaces parallel and in superposed registration with each other but spaced a predetermined distance apart, and means for applying to said finger a predetermined constant force in a direction to increase the separation between said surfaces while the liquid to be tested is mutually adhered to said surfaces.

3. In an instrument for use in measuring the flow resistance of a liquid, a fixed element having aflatcontact surface for adherence thereto of the liquid to be tested, a movable element having a flat contact surface for adherence thereto of said liquid, means for positioning said surfaces parallel and in superposed registration with each other. but spaced a predetermined distance apart, means for applying to said movable element a predetermined force for moving said movable surface perpendicularly away from said fixed surface while the liquid to be tested is mutually adhered to said surfaces, and a stop for limiting .said increased separation to a predetermined amount. v

4. In an instrument for use in measuring the tack of a liquid, a base having a fiat contact surface for adherence thereto of the liquid to be tested, a finger having a hinge pivoting one end thereof to said base, said finger having at its free end a flat contact surface for adherence thereto of said liquid and having a predetermined area smaller than that of said base surface, means for spacing said finger surface a predetermined short distance from said base surface and for positioning said finger surface parallel with and centralized over said base surface, and means for applying a predetermined lifting force to said finger for increasing the spacing between said surfaces while the liquid to be tested is mutually adhered thereto.

5. In an instrument for use in measuring the tack of a liquid, a base having a fiat contact surface for adherence thereto of the liquid to be tested, a finger having a hinge pivoting one end .thereof to said base, said finger having at its free end a flat contact surface for adherence thereto of said liquid and having a predetermined area smaller than that of said base surface, means for spacing said finger surface a predetermined short distance from said base surface and for positioning said finger surface parallel with and centralized over said base surface, a balance arm having a fulcrum supported from said base, a detachable link for connecting one end of said balance arm with the free end of said finger, a counterweight on the opposite end of said balance arm from said link for equalizing the forces on opposite sides of said fulcrum when said link connects said arm with said finger and no test liquid is adhered to said finger surface, said arm having a portion on the same end thereof as said counterweight for supporting a test weight,

a and a stop for limiting the rotation of said arm when a test weight supported on saidarm portion lifts said finger in opposition to the tack of a test liquid mutually adhered to said surfaces.

6. In an instrument for use in measuring the tack of a liquid or plastic material, a base having a flat contact surface for adherence thereto of the material to be tested, a finger pivotally conwhen a predetermined lifting force is applied thereto said arm will cause said finger to be lifted in opposition to the tack of the test material mutually adhered to said surfaces.

mar Gama. 

